


Simple

by AmberGlory



Category: Dangan Ronpa
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-27
Updated: 2016-08-02
Packaged: 2018-07-26 06:12:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7563355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmberGlory/pseuds/AmberGlory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, the ordinary people were what caught Maizono Sayaka's attention the most.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

As soon as she stepped through the school doors, Sayaka Maizono was welcomed with piercing screams. She gave a bright smile to her fans, who now looked overjoyed to see her on school grounds. "Hello!" she said, though her voice was automatically lost in the chaos.

An idol was one thing she had never expected to become. Sure, she enjoyed singing, but making it her profession?

Well, if it had been a few years ago, she would of dismissed the idea in an instant.

Sayaka's senses returned to her, and she suddenly found herself in the midst of the crowd she had just been facing. Left and right stood people, who shouted her name passionately.

She boasted a bright grin, saying, "It's nice to see you all!" to the massive group. Her eyes then scanned over the area, landing on a single door near the end of the hall.

She made sure to not push, slipping her way past many of the people who stood in her path. Her hand grasped the doorknob, twisting it to the side.

She gave one last smile and a wiggle of her fingers before slipping past the door.

However, as soon as it was shut, she leaned against it. Before she could muster a word a sigh flowed from her lips.

She eyed the bare room. Desks sat in an orderly fashion, with the teachers placed in the front, but that's all she found.

Sayaka stepped forward on wobbling legs. She sat herself on the nearest desk, tracing her finger over the object. She shut her eyes, listening to the gentle sound that called itself silence.

She would head out once the five minute bell rang.

* * *

"Maizono-san!" Ayaka sounded absolutely giddy, waving her hand wildly from across the cafeteria. Sayaka couldn't help but giggle at the sight, waving back to show that she had seen her friend's gesture.

Her own turmoil was forgotten as the girl raced to the open seat at their table. She slammed her tray down, then placed her chin upon one of her open palms. "How's it goin?"

Sayaka immediately answered with "I'm fine. How are you?"

Ayaka chuckled, a sly grin stretching across her lips. "We're friends, Maizono-san! There's no need for you to act so formal!"

Friends. The word sounded so foreign to her these days. Now, everyone she met was to be a Sayaker.

"Oh!" Ayaka's sudden gasp shook Sayaka from her thoughts. She brought her gaze up, watching as the girl straightened. "I see Satobi! We should go say hi!"

Sayaka offered a weak smile in response. "I'll catch up. I need to finish my lunch first, before I go."

Ayaka nodded. "Yeah." She turned, but then paused. She noticed Sayaka's sudden silence, and quietly said, "Hey Maizono-san?"

The girl hummed softly, though her attention was on the food that sat before her. A snap drew her focus back up, and she finally took notice of Ayaka's concerned expression.

She he pursed her lips, then placed a hand down on upon Sayaka's. "You know I'm always here for you," she swallowed. "Right?"

Sayaka blinked. Ayaka barely used this kind of emotion around anyone, and it surprised her that she was now watching the occurrence take place before her. She tilted her head for a moment, suddenly finding her lunch far more interesting than it should have been.

Ayaka's brow furrowed. "Maizono?" her fingers twitched.

The idol's head flicked up, taking of notice of the lost honorific. Sayaka gave a weak smile, then nodded. "I know." she murmured. "And I'm so happy for that."

A wave of relief rushed over Ayaka. In a beat her cheerful demeanor returned as she exclaimed, "Okay, then! I'll be over by Satobi if you need anything. Just call if you do!"

Sayaka giggled, "Of course!" before letting her voice die out. Her food no longer looked very enticing.

She shifted her head so she could see all of the room. She couldn't recall most of her classmates names, but they all were in their own conversations anyway. It was the only time she could be truly alone.

A flash of brown caught her eye.

A boy sat a few feet away from her. He was also alone at his table, though he did not seem to mind. It looked as if he was perfectly content with poking at his lunch.

Sayaka felt her heart begin to beat within her chest. She didn't know why, but she wanted to talk to him. To know his name. He wasn't anyone special, she was sure of that.

But at this moment, that fact didn't matter.

Ayaka chose that second to return. "Maizono-san! We have a practice today, remember? It's gonna start in a few minutes! We have to go!"

Maizono no mumbled an incoherent response, her focus still elsewhere. She then gasped as her friend grabbed her arm, repeating the word, "Now!"

Her friend's grip was like iron, and Sayaka's hopes began to die as she was forced to her feet. She whipped her head back in one last desperate attempt to see that person again.

But he had already disappeared.

* * *

She noticed him for the second time that day.

His locker was only a few away from hers, but at first, Sayaka only took notice of the hundreds of eyes that were trained on her, watching and analyzing every movement she made. She pursed her lips and stared forward, gripping the small textbook that occupied the space before her.

For some odd reason, she felt compelled to look to the side.

Her eyes widened. He was there, standing so casually as he sifted through the locker in front of him.

A multitude of questions surfaced in her mind. How come she had not noticed him before? That seemed to be the most prominent of them all, pounding against her skull.

Nevertheless, she felt compelled to finally speak with him. She had the time, right? Class didn't begin for a few minutes.

Sayaka drummed her fingers against her book, then gave a slight cough.

He seemed shocked to see her looking at him, and there was a beat before the items in his grasp fell to the floor.

Sayaka gasped. Her body lurched forward to help, but she froze midway, suddenly reconsidering. With a sigh she moved back to her original spot, watching the boy closely.

She stiffened as his now calm stare flicked to her. Sayaka swiftly turned on her heels, grabbing the book inside her locker and slamming it closed. She took hurried steps away from the scene, now focused on getting to her classroom on time.

It was only until the bell had rung that Sayaka realized she had taken the wrong book.

* * *

Sayaka's calm face stared back at her through the mirror. She inhaled deeply and slowly, then exhaled. Sayaka clutched her wrist, and held it close to her heart.

It was almost time.

The silence was shattered as a round of knocks came from the door. "Maizono-san!" Ayaka chirped, though it was obvious she was in a panic. "We go on soon! Are you ready yet?"

No. She wasn't; not even close. She let out a shaky breath in attempt to ease her tension, then stood up.

She gingerly touched her face, tying not to shake as she did so. She stared at her fingers as she pulled her hand back, a sense of unease growing within.

Sayaka gave one last look at the smudge of makeup she had taken off. It wiped off easily, to her relief.

Ayaka's expression immediately calmed as Sayaka excited her room. She placed a hand upon her chest, giving a shaky sigh. "I'm so glad you're ready, Maizono-san. I was ready to bust the door down."

Sayaka nodded, but kept her mouth shut.

She followed Ayaka without protest, standing behind her as they came to the curtain. "You're just in time." Satobi whispered. "We're on."

Sayaka found herself being pushed through he curtain. And a bright light blinded her as she became visible to the crowd, boasting a huge applause.

The idol breathed a final time, before adjusting the small microphone taped to her cheek. She could feel the presence of the others as they stepped on stage.

The music boomed from the speakers, and her lips parted.

The lyrics and dance steps came easily, so she barely took notice of them. A smile stretched across her lips as the crowd cheered once more, though this time it was overwhelmed by the performance itself.

Sayaka felt newfound relief. Everything was fine, nothing was going wrong.

Her eyes then caught sight on a single figure, and for a mere second, her voice faltered.

It was the boy from before: he was shuffling his way through the crowd, though it was obvious he was trying to avoid any contact. Sayaka could see they way his shoulders were tense, and how his steps were careful and calculated.

He blended in with the crowd so easily. His complection, posture, it was all but equal to some random passerby that you would find on the street one day. He didn't stand out. He was as normal as people got. _Average_.

And yet, her eyes remained focused on him until the song came to a close.


	2. Let's Go Somewhere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two students decide to take a trip.

The boy was in her class too.

His head was down, focused on the desk before him, but there was no mistaking it. Sayaka tapped her pencil rhythmically against her own desk, gaze switching between the lesson and the boy himself.

Her focus on either was shattered as the bell rang. She stumbled to her feet, grabbing her books as she make a move towards the door.

"Maizono!" a voice yelled out, forcing her to freeze. She slowly turned on her heels, and found herself face-to-face with a girl who held a smile almost too giant for her own expression.

Her mind whirled. She knew her name, it was on the tip of her tongue...

It clicked together like the pieces of a puzzle. "Hello, Kaiya."

She gave a squeak of surprise as the girl forced her into a crushing hug. "Great job out there last night!" Kaiya praised as she released her hold, stepping back. "Wow, I can't even begin to thunk of what it would be like to be in your shoes."

Suddenly, Sayaka felt very self-conscious. She looked up with a smile rivaling the girl's and says, "Maybe you can be doing this in your shoes on day."

Unbeknownst to the other girl, she began to scoot her feet along the floor. "I'm so sorry." she was now a couple desks over. "I really have to get going!"

Kaiya drooped her shoulders, crestfallen. "Oh, that's fine." she suddenly perked. "But if you could, mention me in your next performance! I'd appreciate it so much!"

A rush of guilt hit Sayaka. She could never make that promise and keep it. "I'll make sure that I will!" But she already did.

She grabbed the handle, pushing it down. The door went ajar, and she pulled harder. It opened just enough for her to slip through with her books.

The boy was there, just outside the door. And that was seeming to become a a regular phrase for her.

It was weird, how he seemed to have nowhere to go even though the school day was only about half way done. Nevertheless, she moved forward shuggishly, feeling compelled to finally talk to the stranger.

She tapped his shoulder, and winced as he jumped from the contact.

His eyes nearly popped from their sockets as he turned around. "S-Sayaka!?" he cried, mouth quickly snapping shut as the girl placed a finger on her lips.

"Calm down." she giggled, which then died out as her mind finally caught up with the situation. "How do you know my name?"

A very trivial thought compared to what he must have been thinking.

Naegi fidgeted, then rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly sheepish. "Well, y-you're kind of a pop star. How could people not know who you are?"

Sayaka blinked in response. Right.

She shook her head. "That's true." she agreed. "But anyway, I'm not here to talk about that." she grinned sheepishly. Her fingers began to twitch anxiously. "I wanted to...know what your name was?"

The boy seemed visibly surprised at her words. "M-" he stopped, a blush adorning his cheeks. "Me?" he said again, quieter.

Sayaka nodded, unfazed by his reaction. "Yes."

Naegi coughed. "I-I really don't see why you'd wanna know my name." his pressed a hand against his chest. "I'm not anyone special."

"Just tell me!" Sayaka flushed. "Please." she added not a moment later.

The boy seemed hesitant. "Naegi." he finally said, holding out a hand. "My name's Naegi Makoto."

Sayaka felt a grin stretch across her face. Naegi Makoto. It was a perfect name, it was so normal.

"Nice to meet you." she said. "My name is Sayaka Maizono, but I guess you already knew that."

Naegi shrugged. "Yeah, I kinda do."

They both shared a laugh, but it died out as soon as it came. Sayaka felt the atmosphere become tense with the lack of conversation, and she tugged on her shirt. The seconds that passed seemed like hours.

"I...have to get going. Class is starting soon." Sayaka gave an apologetic wave before starting down the hallway.

Naegi raise his hand, opening his mouth to speak, but then closed it, reconsidering.

* * *

"Naegi!" Sayaka could not say that she wasn't glad to see the boy she had just met. "What are you doing here?"

Once again it was an odd thing to ask, considering that she already knew that he was in the same lunch as her.

Naegi coughed awkwardly. "Uh, I wanted to see if I could talk...with you."

Sayaka's looked down at the nearly untouched food beside her.

Naegi fidgeted, and Sayaka knew why. The lunchroom had gone silent, each pair of eyes now focused on them alone. Without thinking her hand swung out, wrapping around Naegi's arm.

The boy froze. "Sayaka, what are yo-"

Sayaka shushed him, then stood up. "Let's find somewhere else to talk." she whispered, nudging her way past other students. "I think you've noticed the problem of doing it here."

Naegi pursed his lips, then gave a slight nod.

He trailed behind Sayaka as she turned the corner. "Okay." she stopped. "Now we can speak."

Naegi whipped his head around nervously. "A-Are you sure nobody will follow us?"

No. In fact, she would probably face an onslaught of questions after this conversation was over. "I'm popular, but my fans no when I need space." she said.

It was only a little lie, to make sure Naegi remained calm. That didn't mean that she could be, though. She twirled her arms, indicating that Naegi should continue what he started earlier.

Seconds passed in tranquility. Then, clasping his hands together, Naegi managed to stammer out, "I wanted to ask y-you if you would like to g-go somewhere with me a-after school?"

The world around Sayaka seemed to freeze. Her throat went dry as she tried to answer. She felt a raging hurricane of new emotions envelop her body. She no longer felt ready for his question.

She wished he had to even asked in the first place, or else she wouldn't have even had to answer.

Sayaka shook her head. "I don't think you wanna ask a question like that." She answered, voice hoarse.

She knew she had answered wrong when Naegi cocked his head. "Huh? Why's that?" he asked slowly. "I mean, if you're nervous about being with me, then it's fine. I'm really not much anyway. And still, if you came, it'll just be the two of us."

She shook her head again. "I can't believe you. I'm sorry, but I don't think I can do this." she murmured.

Naegi was beginning to become agitated. "Why not?" His voice shook. "I mean, I know you don't have to accept, but I'd at least like a real excuse."

"Don't you realize that we can't go alone!?" Sayaka shot back, voice full of nothing but concern. Tears brimmed at the corner of her eyes. "My status makes me unable to be alone, didn't you realize that?"

Naegi was struck, feebly trying to comprehend her words. "I know." he shrugged after a few seconds passed. "But I want to get to know you, even if we're followed."

Sayaka gasped. It morphed into a giddy laugh as she rushed forward, catching Naegi off guard with a crushing hug. "Okay." she agreed. "Can we do it tomorrow?" she asked.

She received a silent nod in return. "Great! I guess we can do it today, if that's all right with you."

Naegi flashed a big, toothy grin. "Yeah!"

The both turned their backs to one another, but in the same moment lifted their arm, waving it swiftly.

"See ya!"

* * *

"The...Park." Sayaka said. No, she couldn't say she was upset: more confused than anything. "It's nice." she said after a small pause.

Naegi sighed. "I'm sorry that we're not anywhere expensive." he responded. "It's just, I don't think I have the money for th-"

Sayaka waved her arms wildly. "No, no, it's fine!" She exclaimed a bit loudly. "I actually like it here." She gazed over the area, taking in the scenery. 'It's beautiful' She thought, smiling despite the earlier misunderstanding.

She first noticed that they weren't alone. Others were walking around them, also taking in the area. A wave of relief washed over her as she found out that she recognized none of their complexions. 

She moved her stare downward. And only then did she notice how many of the duos were holding hands.

Sayaka squeaked, a blush filling the area that was her cheeks. She nearly leaped off of Naegi's side, landing a few inches further away.

"Look, a pond!" Naegi stammered suddenly, breaking the tension that had formed. "Why don't we head over there?" he suggested.

"I'd like that." Sayaka said, light trembles still hitting her body.

Soon they reached the edge of the swirling water, and Naegi pointed excitedly to a nearby bench.

Sayak rested her head against the back of the sodden structure, closing her eyes. They snapped open as Naegi sat down next to her, wincing. "I didn't mean to be annoying." he apologized.

She found that her eyes swiveled to the pond.

Another teenager stood a few feet away, throwing bread crumbs into the water. Sayaka felt her back arch, terror taking hold.

The person turned, spotting Sayaka's gaze.

But their face did not light up in recognition. If fact, all that Sayaka got was a kind wave before they turned back to their own business.

"Hey! You know what?" Sayaka hummed shakily, pushing away her fear so she could become genuinely interested. "I can get us something to eat," Naegi offered. "i-if you're okay with that, of c-course."

Sayaka saw no reason to say no. She nodded, and felt her heartbeat speed up as he gave a thumbs-up before moving to the nearby stand.

It took a decent amount of time before she regained her resting heart rate. Sayaka gave a distinctive happy laugh.

Calm. She loved how calm the world around her was, how no one saw her as the pop star, but instead a girl who came here with a new friend.

She shrugged her thoughts away as she spotted Naegi walking back. He gave her a comforting smile and sat down.

He then held out to treat to her, and Sayaka took it gratefully, murmuring a shy thanks.

Her tongue licked the ice cream. It was full of flavor, she quickly noticed. It was nice, and that was just what she needed.

"Thank you." Sayaka whispered, watching as Naegi looked at her with confusion. She scooted on the bench so she was closer closer to the boy, smiling all the while.

A blissful yawn escaped her lips as her head hit his shoulder. "Thank you for giving me the chance to feel normal."


End file.
